Leaders Of Afghanistan, Pakistan Hold Ankara Summit

Musharraf (left) and Karzai (right) with Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer today (epa)
April 30, 2007 -- The leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan have held summit talks in Turkey.

The two leaders agreed to fight terrorism by denying sanctuary, training, and financing to terrorists in each other's countries.

A joint statement issued after a meeting in Ankara today said the two presidents agreed to continue fighting all forms of "extremism and terrorism through coordinated action."

They also pledged to strengthen bilateral relations on the basis of respect for territorial integrity and noninterference in each other's internal affairs.

The declaration was issued after the two leaders locked hands and posed for the cameras with Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Karzai and Musharraf did not take any questions.

Today's talks, the first between Karzai and Musharraf since September 2006, are aimed at easing bilateral tensions. Karzai has repeatedly accused Pakistan of doing little to stop insurgents crossing over into Afghanistan to launch attacks.